Adam Eaton got a nice ovation from the sold-out Chase Field crowd Monday night when he was introduced as part of the Diamondbacks’ 2013 Opening Day roster.

He was appreciative, to be sure, but it would have felt a lot better if he didn’t have to start the season on the disabled list and instead was in the starting lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“Yeah, I never really pictured my first Opening Day in the major leagues to be on the DL,” Eaton said. “It’s tough. I mean, I’m happy for the guys; it’s going to be fun watching them play, and I’m excited for this year to start and get under way.

“But personally, it’s agonizing, to say the least.”

Eaton was tearing it up in spring training and was all set to be the Diamondbacks’ leadoff hitter and everyday center fielder. But while experimenting on throws from the outfield toward the end of Cactus League play, he suffered a small ligament tear in his left elbow.

It was caught in time to avoid surgery, but it also meant he would be shut down and sidelined anywhere from six to eight weeks, if not longer.

“You never want to go under the knife,” Eaton said, “so for us to dodge that and not have a longer recovery process is good. We just backed off of everything, will give it some time and then ease back into it.

“But when I come back, I’ll be coming back with some steam, believe me.”

Eaton has already started doing some light work, like hitting one-handed in the batting cage. On Thursday, he’ll begin hitting for real. He’s hopeful of rejoining the Diamondbacks sometime in May.

Then he’ll have his own Opening Day. Still, there’s something to be said about just making the team, even if it means beginning the season on the disabled list.

“Yeah, I’m still here, which is good,” Eaton said, “so I’ll take that for now.”

Pollock's big night

A.J. Pollock wasn’t supposed to make the team, let alone start in center field for the Diamondbacks on Opening Day.

So after he had three hits in Arizona’s 6-2 victory over the Cardinals Monday night in front of a sellout crowd of 48,033 at Chase Field, what we thinking?

“I think it took me a week last year to get two hits,” he said with a laugh.

There were plenty of reasons to smile for Pollock on this night, although he lamented the fact he failed to drive in a run during his final plate appearance with a runner on third in the eighth inning.

Still, it was a huge night for him.

“Yeah, it’s great,” he said. “You always have this Opening Day in mind and you’re wondering how it’s going to go and there a little bit of nerves because you’re anticipating it so much.

“But to go out there and then do well, it definitely takes a lot of pressure off.”

Miley ready

There were some real concerns earlier in spring when left-hander Wade Miley had to skip a start because he was dealing with the dreaded “dead arm” issue.

But Miley got through it, and after making 95 pitches Saturday night in an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds, he’s all set to start Friday night’s game in Milwaukee.

“I feel great and I’m looking forward to it,” said Miley, who set franchise rookie records last season in wins (16), starts (29) and innings pitched (194 2/3). “It was big for me Saturday to just get out there and go 95 pitches and feel strong throughout the whole 95.”

Miley said the short time off he took in spring was beneficial but that he questioned it at the time, saying he argued the matter with manager Kirk Gibson.

“Sometimes guys forget I was a player, too,” Gibson said. “I understand where they’re coming from, but we try to be smart and get them so we have them over the length of the season.

“We could have pushed through and hopefully it would have just went away, but we chose to go in a different route … and make sure it went away.”

Miley said there were some discussions late last season about possibly shutting him down to save his arm because he’d never thrown so many innings. Had the team done that, he said there would have been another argument — a much bigger one.

“I didn’t know how my arm was going to react, but I feel great and I want to throw as many innings as I can,” Miley said. “I’m definitely shooting for 200 or as many as it takes.”

Making memories

If someone would have told A.J. Pollock a month ago that he would make the team’s Opening Day roster, he might have had his doubts. If someone still were to tell him he’d be starting in center field on Opening Day, he would have been even more skeptical.

“Yeah, I don’t know if I would have believed that one,” said Pollock, who was the club’s fifth outfielder until injuries befell Eaton and right fielder Cody Ross.

“I was just focused on going out and getting ready for the season wherever I was going to play. Well, that’s where I was headed. But stuff happens. I don’t think I would have ever said there was no chance of making the team, but it’s baseball; anything can happen.”

Pollock said making his first Opening Day start in the majors was “something I always dreamed about as a kid” and that “it’ll always be a very special memory.”

He understands, however, that he can’t put unreasonable expectations on himself and try to do too much in his new-found role. That would just lead to problems.

“You have to be yourself,” he said. “It’s not easy, but if you do what you need to do as a player it’s going to work out. That’s what the team needs from you, to fill your role and compete.”

He’s also not trying to think too far ahead, like when Eaton is ready to join the lineup.

“Obviously you think about that a little,” he said, “but at the same time it’s about today. And when this game is over, you start again and it’s about tomorrow.”

Ross getting close

Ross, who missed all but four Cactus League games because of a nagging calf strain, has increased his running program and is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Thursday with Class A Visalia.

Gibson said Ross likely will play a couple games strictly as the designated hitter, probably take a day off, and then play a game or two in the outfield if he is able.

There’s an outside chance he could be activated from the disabled list when the team returns from Milwaukee on Monday to begin a three-game homestand against the Pirates.

No ordinary day

Someone asked Gibson if Opening Day is really that special or if it’s just another game.

Gibson recalled two of his more memorable Opening Days. One was good — he hit two home runs off Boston left-hander Bruce Hurst. The other one was not so good.

“My worst one was I had two fly balls which I lost in the sun against Texas,” he said. “One hit me in the shoulder and one hit me in the head, so I got booed by 55,000 that day.”

Short hops

This was the first time the Diamondbacks have opened the season against an opponent that appeared in the postseason the previous year. The Cardinals defeated the Braves 1-0 in the wild-card game, beat the Nationals 3-2 in the National League Division Series and lost to the Giants 4-3 in the NL Championship Series.

The Diamondbacks began their 16th season Monday night with an overall record of 1,210-1,220 (.498 winning percentage).

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